Meanwhile, in Milky Way Charter, the one-man Detective Club, Keenan Sharpe, has trapped himself in the cramped storage room, surrounded by books, printed articles, and other relevant items. Hanging on an easel is a cork board, tacked with photos, news clippings, and handwritten notes. Using a laptop borrowed from the Computer Club, he checks up on recent updates to local news, and compiles his data in digital form. Text document software at the ready, he starts typing out his report.
According to the last witness's statement, the suspect was last seen wearing a Lunar Sea Academy uniform. However, they were unable to provide a better description due to poor lighting. As such, the only lead available is the uniform. However, that students from other schools could be involved in the murders is still a possibility.
His mind is reeling as his eyes scan the photos of the murder victims tacked to the board. Nobel, Aoyama, Tuffnot, Lee… Lermer.
The last name stings him the most. Keenan Sharpe and Zephaniah "Zippy" Lermer became close friends when they represented planet Earth in the Grand Celesta Galaxy just a year ago. Even after the tournament's end, they kept contact with each other, and embarrassed as he is to admit it, he fell in love with the young mathematician. So when he turned on the TV and watched the news reporting on his death, his entire body froze up, his eyes glued to the screen throughout.
Shaking himself off his trance, he continues typing.
At first glance, the suspects share little in common. However, examining the individuals' backgrounds reveal a common link: all of them participated in a national football tournament. Of those identified, the majority of them are divided between those who attended and represented Raimon, and those who competed against them. The one exception, Tuffnot from Ivy Selective, was a participant in Saint's Way, a competition that Raimon participated in, only to lose to Pirate's Cove, whom at some point also fought against Raimon.
Taking the murder weapon, M.O., and above evidence into consideration, the following possibilities can be speculated: first, that the murderer—or one of them, if others are involved—has some connection with Lunar Sea's football team, whether as a member or supporter; second, that the killer holds a grudge against Raimon and/or the teams represented in the tournaments; third, that the murderer is proficient with Special Moves.
Unable to come up with anything else, he saves the document and closes the laptop. Despite all he had written down, the resulting deduction is still too broad to form a proper conclusion. While he's sitting around typing all this out, the police likely already traveled the same train of thought and questioning the students and staff of Lunar Sea and Raimon. But adult-child interactions are far different compared to interactions between peers. Even if he comes to the same non-conclusion, it's still worth a shot.
One lengthy train ride later, he arrives in the city where Lunar Sea is located. Unfortunately, with the time it took to get there, he may have been too late. With the exception of club activities, the only people available to interrogate would be the staff, and it's unlikely that they would permit him, or take him seriously. Not to mention the great possibility of him being caught trespassing on the campus. Lost for ideas, he checks over what information he managed to gather on some of the students. Since his initial plan is out of the question, he has no other choice but to resort to direct confrontation.
It does not take long for trouble to follow. What started as a calculated search turned into a run-in with a hulking figure in an isolated corner of the town. Immediately, he identifies the figure's outfit as the Lunar Sea uniform. Before he can speak a word, however, the student throws him against a wall. Dizzy from the impact, he cannot fully capture what he said, but he caught some accusation of being out to frame him for the murders, or something along those lines. Keenan is about to protest when, all of a sudden, a flying object zipped over his head, almost hitting the larger student. The object hits the wall and bounces away—a football, he realizes. The ball, rolling away, is stopped by the foot of a mysterious figure standing at the other end.
The figure stands tall and slender, with long, flowing red hair and a glare of light reflected from the lens of their glasses. Unless his eyes are playing tricks on him, he could swear that they are sporting the colors of two different uniforms. Their voice, assertive despite the boyish pitch, booms out in an odd manner, almost as if two people were speaking at once. (The last detail Keenan chalks up as a result of his potential concussion.) The Lunar Sea student gleefully accepts the stranger's challenge.
The duel begins with the larger one charging towards the stranger. The stranger, however, swiftly dodges their opponent and takes the opportunity to strike him in the back with the ball. Keenan can clearly see flames shooting from their foot, which transfers to the ball, transforming it into a burning meteor. But the opponent, bulky as he is, manages to get back on his feet with little trouble and charges towards him again. Again, another evasion and attack. The Lunar Sea student looks to be in trouble, barely able to stand with his comically undersized legs. The stranger, a smirk on their face, is prepared to strike once again when from Keenan's mouth, a word bursts out: "Stop!"
The stranger loses their concentration and the ball gently bounces off their knee. Their expression loses the mischievous joy it had just seconds ago as everything seems to click. To the Lunar Sea student, they yell out, "Scram!" He limps off right away, whimpering to himself all the while. Turning back to Keenan, they speak to him gently, "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I think," he answers, accepting the stranger's hand pulling him to his feet. Briefly, he notices their feet, sporting two different shoes. "Are you from Lunar Sea or Raimon? Either way, I bet you'd fit right in with the football team, if you haven't already."
The stranger, flustered, brushes their hair to the side. "Thank you. I try my best." In the span of a moment, they turn from loud and assertive to meek and soft-spoken. Perhaps they're not used to compliments?
"Say, er, mind giving me a name?"
Right away, their eyes widen and start shifting side to side as they stutter, their body practically trembling. "My name? It's, uh… Thing is, uh… Wow, look at the time, I should go!" They turn and run, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Though the stranger moved too fast to catch, Keenan's curiosity does not end there. In their haste, they left behind their football, which he picks up and inspects. It looks pretty worn out, and there are specks of dirt and grass on it. Were they playing in the hills nearby before they found him? It seems likely, though other conclusions can still be made. Turning to the direction they ran off, he begins to wonder. Who was that person? Where do they live? Are they single? So many questions, and more keep piling up by the second. Whatever the case, it looks like he's found a new lead.
